Be The Change You Want To See

(I’m picking up my son from elementary school when he asks for ice cream. The man selling outside is in his 50s-60s and pushing an ice cream cart in 100+ degree weather. There’s a 10 year old boy with his 5 year old sister ahead of us.)

Girl: “I want that one”

Boy: “How much is that?”

Ice cream Man: “$1.50”

Boy: *to sister* “We only have two dollars.”

Sister: “I want that one.”

(She points to another that also turns out to be $1.50, this goes on for another three times until the man finally sells them for $1 instead of $1.50.)

Boy: “I’ll take two.”

(The man’s expression seems like he can’t afford to lose a penny but he gives it to them anyway.)

Son: “I’ll take that one.”

Ice Cream Man: “That’s $1.00.”

(I hand him $3.00 and tell him it’s to cover the kids in front of us. The man seems so relieved it made me wish I had more change.)